Head of Kosher Enforcement in New Jersey Retires

Trenton, NJ…Mitchel Bomrind, Kosher Investigator, in the NJ Office of the Attorney General Division of Consumer Affairs is stepping down after a decade of serving as the head of kosher law enforcement in the state. New Jersey is one of 20 states that have laws on the books protecting kosher consumers. The laws basically seek transparency in identifying the source of kosher certification. These laws became necessary in 2003 after the US Supreme Court struck down a much craftier version in New York State. In his tenure Rabbi Bomrind imposed significant fines on repeat offenders. New Jersey’s kosher law enforcement is often held up as a model of a state that is very intent on enforcement. The Bureau of Kosher Enforcement is a division of the state’s Attorney General’s office. Sources told Kosher Today that most of the kosher violations in New Jersey dealt with the unauthorized use of kosher symbols, including such international symbols at the OU. Rabbi Bomrind is a well-respected rabbi and authority on kosher. The sources say that the largest fine imposed by New Jersey in recent years was $35,000 on a supermarket chain for a repeated violation.